More In Common

Oleg Brodsky /// Eastern Dreams /// Season4:E099

Oleg is a Principle Scientist with a focus on Cancer research at a large pharmaceutical company. 

He was born in Maldova, which lies between Ukraine and Romania.  At 12 his parent brought him to the States where he was raised in Los Angeles.

Given the spirit of this Season "shared American ideals" and all that is going on, and will be going one, with COVID-19, we just had to have him on to discuss so many things.

 

"Before I speak I try to think and recognize that people may have a different opinion, belief" - Oleg Brodsky
 

Topics we discuss:

• His native country, Maldova
  • His family's migration to the states
  • Being an immigrant in the states
  • Family history of persecution
• History of Jewish persecution in Russia
• Asia and the breadth of its reach
• What American ideals mean to him as generation 0
  • The American Dream
• Racial tension with Immigrants
• Talking COVID-19 to those who don't believe as a scientist
• General Infectious disease discussion
  • Context on testing
  • Education on virus mutation
  • Simplified example of why masks are important
• Facts (as this season has gone)

 

References:

• Map of Maldova
• Ural Mountains
• Berlin Wall
• Russian Jewish persecution
• Hitler/Stalin Pact
• Armenian Genocide
• Herd Immunity
• Darwinism

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Frozen Pears" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Compassionate America /// Easy Hands /// Season4:E098

Today we are with Dr. June Klees.  Dr. June is a Community college humanities & social-behavioral sciences instructor.  While she focuses on history, she has taught in the areas of cultural diversity, education, geography and the first-year experience. 

Dr. June has also helped establish the Compassionate America Message.  What Compassionate America stands for is nothing less than what Compassionate Americans from all walks of life have done in their daily lives throughout our history.  It isn’t unique to America, but it acknowledges that the “Spirit of 1776” called for the fundamental rights and freedoms of humanity to be recognized, honored, and respected under the rule of law.  This value system has woven itself into the fabric of America in different ways and ONLY has ever been maintained from generation-to-generation by Compassionate Americans who love their country…

The rest of this pledge can be found at compassionateamerica.org…it will be in the show notes.  In the spirit of our Season 4, 'Shared American Ideals', we just had to have June on and are excited to have you hear today.

 

"It isn't about getting stuck in the past it is about seeing the past as a vast laboratory and seeing what works and doesn't work in human behavior." - June
 

Topics we discuss:

• What Liberty and Justice for all means to her
  • The American Enlightenment
• The movement towards the ideals
  • Reconciling the truth of the past to move toward the vision of the past
  • Impact of this conversation on Rodney
• Historical truths vs. how we feel about those truths. 
• Hindsight's role in the evaluation of history
  • The false narrative of perfectionism
• The role of privilege in her life and the realization of that truth.
  • The responsibility of knowing it
• The impact of childhood trauma on her life
• Generational influence on her journey and current place in life.
  • The duty of her generation to pay it forward
• Compassionate America Mission
• The Grand Gesture

 

References:

• Compassionate America
• American Enlightenment history
• Definition of Pollyanna
• Western Civics
• Historical Empathy
• Monday Morning QB - Definition
• Mr. Rogers
• Dr. Spock Parenting

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Nation Step" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Social Nuisance /// Synonyms adjacent /// Season4:E097

Today we are with Imagine and Motion from the Social Nuisance Podcast.  We were on their show back in December 2019 and we are excited to have them with us today.

They met in 2011 at a community college and quickly hit it off as like-minded passionate artists and intellectuals. Motion was a dedicated Poet and Imagine, a Rapper. Both are inspired by the world around them and look to contribute their perspectives to any and every conversation. Dialog and Discussion are at the root of any development, evolution, and progressive movement. Imagine and Motion created the podcast in hopes of providing a sensible, humorous, and in your face conversation on the things that matter in the world, people and the social environments we find ourselves in. The world changes by way of Nuisances, willing to take that first step in rocking the boat, stirring the pot, and ruffling some feathers. 

 

"Pretend we all agree.  We're all going to have a different perspective and motivation on what we're going to do with those facts anyways.  So I'm kinda all about just hearing it all out." - Motion

 

"Personal motto KMF, keep moving forward, all day, everyday." - Imagine

 

Topics we discuss:

• What are and what do we strive for regarding Shared American Ideals
• The idea of breaking a binary political system
• What voting local is all about and why it is important
• Gaining perspective from other's regardless of their thoughts and ideas
  • How this will break division
  • Even when hate is involved
• Relationship between citizen's and police
  • The Bad apple argument
  • Ideas for improving policing relationships with citizens
• Them growing up and what lead them to each other.
  • Understanding their identities
  • Be accepted and alienated
  • Accepting themselves and personal identities
• Facts, what they are and the difference with truth

 

References:

• Social Nuisance Podcast
  • Our episode with them
• Joe Biden saying "shoot them in the leg"
• Officer Tipton says "I Don't Care" as man dies in his custody
• Black couple in Englewood shot while sleeping in car
• Lloyd Wilkey Episodes
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
  • Part 3
• The thin blue line
• Dick Gregory on Policing - VIDEO IS FIRE!!

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "quick note" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Joanna Schwartz /// Rustic Scales /// Season4:E096

Joanna Schwartz is Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law. She teaches Civil Procedure and a variety of courses on police accountability and public interest lawyering. She received UCLA's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2015, and served as Vice Dean for Faculty Development from 2017-2019.

Professor Schwartz is one of the country's leading experts on police misconduct litigation. Professor Schwartz additionally studies the dynamics of modern civil litigation. She is co-author, with Stephen Yeazell, of a leading casebook, Civil Procedure (10th Edition), and her scholarship has appeared or is forthcoming in Columbia Law Review, New York University Law Review, Stanford Law Review, Texas Law Review, UCLA Law Review, and the Yale Law Journal, among others.

Professor Schwartz is a graduate of Brown University and Yale Law School. After law school, Professor Schwartz clerked for Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York and Judge Harry Pregerson of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She was then associated with Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP, in New York City, where she specialized in police misconduct, prisoners' rights, and First Amendment litigation.

 

"The basic facts of any given case aren't in dispute, it's whether you see those facts as wrong doing or not" - Joanna Schwartz

 

Topics we discuss:

• How we have lost our perspective of Shared Ideals
  • Perspective drives how we see the facts
  • How this applies to the law
• Criminal standards of Police Prosecution
• How do we reduce incidence of police force
• The ethics of deadly force
• What is Justice and what is Social Justice
• How she got where she is. 
  • The journey being a bit backwards
  • What keeps her going
  • What recharges her
• Her Mindset and managing life to get everything that needs to be done
• Current research on assumptions used by Supreme Court in making judgements
• Social Media and the First Amendment

 

References:

• Joanna's Full Bio
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
• Definition of Deadly Force
• Philando Castile
• Men In Black
• Teddy Shapiro with More In Common
• First Amendment
• 5G networks causing COVID
• Mark Zuckerburg's original congressional hearing

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Binding Signatures" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Nav The Poet /// Lyrical Stability /// Season4:E095

Today we talk to Nav the Poet.  Nav the Poet is a spoken word artist who has been writing and performing since 2011. What initially began as an outlet for personal struggles has turned into a profession, where he travels the country and shares his stories, experiences, and art with his audiences to spread his message: break barriers, build bridges, and encourage a deeper understanding of one another so that we may work together to create a better world.   

 

"…I don't over value what I say, I just believe it for myself, and if other people vide with it, other people enjoy it, then awesome, I also don't expect people to automatically agree with it…" -

Nav the Poet

 

Topics we discuss:

• His poetry tying to Shared American Ideals
  • Living up to them
  • What it looks like to criticize America
• How he took the leap to pursue poetry
• What it's like to have to assimilate
  • In broader culture
  • And within Sikh culture
  • While maintaining individualism
• Finding his individuality and being himself
  • Connecting to his faith
  • Becoming a poet
  • Aligning to what he is meant to do
• Experiencing God and that influence over him.
• What success and accomplishment look like
  • The struggle to not let follows and likes drive our behavior
  • Staying true to his creative voice
• What it means to conform
• Male superiority and gender dynamics

References:

• Nav's Tik Tok
• John McCain's quote living up to ideals
• Sikh Faith
• Zeitgeist

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Vebiage Veggies" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Project Divided /// Conquered Allotment /// Season4:E094

Today we are with Casey Moore and Marley Duchovnay who created the amazing organization, Project Divided.  Casey is from Delaware and Marley from Pennsylvania. Both grew up exposed to politics and each developed a passion for getting involved and doing something about the division our binary political system creates.  Thus, after graduating from the University of Delaware, they decided to take part in the action to begin building bridges across the political divide.  Hence the start of Project Divided.

 

They drove from the north east to begin their journey in the small town of Smithville, TX.  Project Divided is an initiative working to understand political division and facilitate conversations between problem solvers in our communities. Project Divided is all about understanding how we can work together to problem solve from the local level up. They believe the best way to start this is to bring lots of different perspectives and backgrounds together to first start the conversation and foster communication and understanding.

 

This is our season of "American Shared Ideals" and we couldn't be more excited to have this conversation with Marley and Casey.  What they built is exactly what we hope to represent with this season of conversations. 

 

"What most Americans what are things that aren't too crazy." - Marley Duchovnay

 

"how do you balance having a conversation in order to understand that space versus having a conversation because you're an activist that wants to advocate for a specific issue?" Casey Moore

 

Topics we discuss:

• The observation of American shared values
  • Understanding their values first
  • Forming of morals and values
  • The local levels unite, the national level divides
• What they observed in building Project Divided
  • Productive conversations through agreement and disagreement
• What is a fact?
  • How they manage this in the web series
  • How we perceive truth
  • Mixing them feelings
• Conversation vs. Debate and why have conversation
  • How to disagree
• The friendship origin story and what led them to create Project Divided
  • Marley's Grandmother was a holocaust survivor and the impact on Marley
• What it means to hold space for other people
• Personal Identity and what it means to them
  • Politically
  • Individually
  • Compromising identity

 

References:

• Project Divided
• Moral Foundations Theory
• Definition of Fact
• The Things they Carried: Tim O'Brien
• Behave: Robert Sapolsky
• Political Tribe: Amy Chua
• The Big Sort: Bill Bishop

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Doozie Groove" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Noelle Silver /// Artificial Bias /// Season4:E093

Noelle Silver is the founder of the AI Leadership Institute and Women in AI. She is the Head of Instruction for Data Science, Analytics and Full Stack development at HackerU, building education programs for universities. She is an ambassador for the responsible and ethical use of AI and she is passionate about Mindful Leadership, work-life harmony and empowering people achieve their potential through technology. She specializes in helping technical leaders successfully navigate cloud transformation and develop an AI and Voice Strategy by delivering keynotes, sessions and hackathons worldwide. She has spent decades as a trainer, architect, and evangelist for IBM, RedHat, EMC, Amazon and Microsoft. She has been listed as the"#1 Speaker to Have at Your AI Event by ReadWrite.com  and a “Top Influencer in Voice” By Voicebot.ai as well as received an award from VentureBeat for her work mentoring women in the field of AI and Emerging Technology.  

 

"The best revenge is success." - Noelle Silver
 

Topics we discuss:

• Managing ethics of Artificial Intelligence
• What is Artificial Intelligence and how easy it is for ethics to be violated
  • Company responsibility
  • Checks and Accountability
  • Solutions that could work
  • Malevolent AI
• How AI is dependent on people and the makeup of those people
  • Different types of AI
• Ethics of Facial Recognition technology
• Noelle's origin story with AI
  • The stories we are told
  • Working harder as a minority
  • Impact of lacking representation
• Impact of Race in corporate space

 

References:

• Hacker U
• Artificial Intelligence - Wiki
• Simon Sinek - Infinite Game - (Learn about ethical fading)
• Reboot representation
• Algorithmic fairness
• Manhattan Project
• Skynet
• Turing Test
• Black Mirror
• Y2K

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Keep Your Hands" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Oge Egbuonu /// Unyielding Anecdotes /// Season4:E092

A special episode release!

Oge Egbuonu (E-boo-noh) is a filmmaker focused on disruptive inspirational storytelling. By creating compelling content that entertains, educates, and inspires, she aims to support the healing of the individual and the collective. Prior to becoming an independent filmmaker, Oge worked at the independent production company Raindog Films, where she produced films like LOVING and EYE IN THE SKY. Oge sat on the board of the Diversity Committee for the BRIT Awards, where she collaborated to revamp the voting academy, and tackling diversity within the music and film industries.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Houston.

Aa of Juneteenth, June 19, 2020, after nearly three years in the making, her directorial debut, (IN)VISIBLE PORTRAITS came to life.  The documentary is a powerful celebration of Black women featuring interviews from scholars and authors sharing their stories of struggle, celebration, heartache and more. It shatters the too-often invisible otherizing of Black women in America and illuminates the history of how we got here, dismantles the false framework of the present-day reality, celebrates the extraordinary heritage of exceptional Black women, and ignites hope for the next generation.

Oge spent eight months doing intensive research, and two months conducting these compelling interviews.

 

"We continue to heal our heart and souls every day in every way." - Oge Egbuonu
 

Topics we discuss:

• The Film (In)Visible Portraits
  • The reaction she has received
  • How she is in this moment with it
• The emotional Impact of directing this film
  • Going back to Therapy
  • How the stories keep her going
  • Managing the emotional impact
  • What healing looks like for her
  • Finding her Therapist
• Generational Trauma on culture
• Sitting with Shame
  • Not knowing about the history
  • Processing it to move forward
• Michael Myer Approaching her
  • Understanding his Why for this film
• Aunt Jamima's Name change
• How her childhood lead to personal belief
  • The journey to figuring out who she is
• Social Constructs
  • Reimagining what's possible
  • Individual power to make change
• Queer Theory
  • Unveiling herself
• Watching police brutality videos
  • The impact of the social virality
  • Giving permission
  • Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome

 

References:

• (IN)VISIBLE PORTRAITS
• Juneteenth 
• Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome
• Abraham Maslow
• Mental Revolution
• Queer Theory
• Audrey Lorde
• Fannie Lou Hamer
• Judge Dredd
• Toyin Salau

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Grass Grains" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Now Hear Me Out /// Invisible Fences /// Season4:E091

Today we are with the Father/Daughter duo, Harriet and Randy Berholtz of the "Now Hear Me Out" Podcast.  A podcast where they come together to have political and social conversations representing two sides of the argument.  Harriet graduated from the University of San Diego, is a sing/song writer, and has started and sold 2 different e-commerce stores that surpassed 7 figures in sales in under 18 Months.  Oh, and she is a registered Democrat.

Randy is a Graduate of Yale Law, an Oxford Rhodes Scholar, a former Adjunct professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, for acting general counsel at Innovus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  Among many things, he is also the Secretary of the California Republican Party. 

Together they aim to demonstrate the possibility of having very differing viewpoints still coming together with love and understanding in an effort to spur change and action.

 

"Without love and respect in the communication you aren't really communicating" - Randy Berholtz

 

Topics we discuss:

• What is the role of government?
  • Federal and local distinction
  • The American Ideal
  • Leadership of the country
  • How do we pay for it?
• Current state of government relations.
• Difference in Democrat and Republican ideas.
  • Talking party allegiance
  • The breakdown of party principles
• Difference between Conservative and Liberal
• The dynamics of their relationship and how they put love and respect above their disagreements
  • Agreeing to disagree
• Facts and Truth  vs. Experience and Beliefs
• Impact of the rapid growth in technology and population

 

References:

• Now Hear Me Out Podcast
• Democratic Party 
• Republican Party
• Definition of Conservative
• Definition of Liberal
• ILGW Union
• Definition of Principle
• Definition of Belief
• Judge Dredd
• What is a Straw Man argument?

 

Credits:

Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes

 

Music:

Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Guest theme:  "Unfair Fruit" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.

Dr. Curtis Takada Rooks /// Common Reflection /// Season4:E090

Today we are with Dr. Curtis Takada Rooks. Born in Japan but grew up in many places spending his early childhood in Kansas, N.C. and Texas.  Then moving and spending his formative years in Okinawa before returning to Manhattan, Kansas where he graduated high school.  After attending college in N.H., as an adult he has lived in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Alaska and settled down in California. He is a husband of 21 years and has an amazing daughter who is studying at Yale. Dr. Rooks earned his B.A. in 1979 with a double major in Economics and Asian Studies (honors) from Dartmouth College. He received his M.A. in Public Policy from Trinity College in 1982 and his Ph.D. in Comparative Culture from the University of California, Irvine. Prior to his appointment at Loyola Marymount Univ., Dr. Rooks was a tenured assistant professor in Asian American Studies at San Jose State University and he previously served as Associate of Students and Dean of Residential Life at Pomona College. His research interests follow two overlapping trajectories.  The first employs engaged community-based research focusing on the intersections of culture and community health and wellness.. The second focuses on mixed-race and transnational identity.  These are reflected in two current projects one which examines civic engagement in Asian American communities and the second explores notions of transnational identity of people of Japanese ancestry worldwide – Global Nikkei Identity, along with continuing work with multiracial identity, particularly on the experiences of “double minority”.   "When you truly engage that makes someone else matter.  It's a transformative act." - Dr. Curtiss Takada Rooks   Topics we discuss: What it means to: be Of mixed Race be Alive Be oneself Navigating your multiple "identities" The importance of Engagement Growing up in Okinawa Military family during Vietnam Racism How Race matters The nature of Zero-Sum mentality Single Payer Healthcare Union Negotiation Social Capitalism Healthcare as a public good Social Distribution What he means by "Being a 'Lefty'"   References: Dr. Takada Rook in 2007 Dr. Takada Rooks - TedX  Kakehashi Project Eyes on the Prize   Credits: Lead editor + Producer: Ruf Holmes   Music: Main Theme: "Eaze Does It" by Shye Eaze and DJ Rufbeats, a More In Common Podcast Exclusive. Guest theme:  "Gold Cracks" by DJ Rufbeats created as a More In Common Podcast Exclusive.